More than Bargained For
by yinngoh
Summary: Whispers of him becoming the next Dark Lord were circulating for the nth time; but this time, they might not let him slide. Sick of watching him sacrifice everything for the Greater Good, Harry unwillingly gets a new start thanks to his friends.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners. I only take credit for the story (:**

 **PS. Author notes at the bottom.**

* * *

In a maneuver that had him thanking Merlin he still had some of his seeker reflexes, Harry spun on the balls of feet in a move that aborted his intended dash across the hall, sending him smack back against the wall inside a vacant office.

His heart was pounding, but his breathing remained calm. A wince reminded him of a sharp pain in his side, causing his free hand to clutch at his wounded side. Pulling away the hand to survey the damage, he scowled at the sight of blood on his hand. Pulling his cloak firmly over himself to cover the damage and donning the hood, he snuck a glance outside; having heard the sound of receding footsteps.

Just as he thought the coast was clear enough that he could sneak out for the day and come back when the _idiots_ finally got some sense into their heads again, the building alarm went off. A high-pitched voiced spoke over the blaring horns, "Harry James Potter, please make yourself known to an Auror, or the main atrium, immediately. I repeat, Harry James Potter, pleas…" and on it went.

Harry's breath stuttered for a second. _Main atrium_ , he thought, there went his previous plan. _If they've dispatched all the Aurors then…_ Harry grit his teeth, explaining his frustration away with the excuse that he was simply in pain.

Yanking at the cord, Harry pulled off his cloak and tossed it, taking a deep breath before he backed into the room, body crouched and blending into the darkness.

* * *

 _Fuck_ , he thought, having to dash back from whence he came as he spotted another Auror. Not quick enough, it seemed, as a bright red light flew just past his face. Before he could react, another one swiftly followed, but this time hitting its mark at his right foreleg.

His inhuman mouth let out a short screech of pain in response to the cutting curse slicing close to a tendon, stumbling for a second before pushing through it to take another turn. He took a moment to think to himself sordidly, _well, I certainly trained them well at least_. His now two major wounds and several minor scrapes were making themselves increasingly known as he felt more cornered the longer he ran. _I thought they might be taking the piss again like with any other rumour, but they're serious this time, if they've been given permission to cast at me._

Suddenly, a door opened just behind him and darkness enveloped his sight, body jerked sideways and tumbling round and round until he knew not which way was up and which was down. Snarling and kicking automatically in response, the light soon returned and he realized he had been covered by a cloak and pulled into the room.

Whipping around, his defensive stance immediately fell at the sight of a familiar sight – Luna. Shifting fluidly, he looked at her back in his normal form. "Luna, what—"

"You won't be able to escape this time like all the other times, Harry," she interrupted. Harry bristled at the insinuation that _Luna_ , of all people, was betraying him. His right hand automatically twitched towards his wand, but instead watched as Luna brushed past him.

Turning, he finally realized which room he had been pulled into as he stared at the Veil. When Luna turned to face him once more, she was standing right by it. Harry opened his mouth to question her but was unnerved to see the immense focus in her eyes.

"You can't stay here any longer, Harry. No matter how much you might want to give them a chance, the Ministry will eventually find a way to pin you as the next Dark Lord." She began, her tone having none of the dreamy-quality that had both confused but soothed him in the past.

There was a split second where Luna's face melted into its usual dazed-like gaze before sharpening once more in an intense focus that looked _wrong_ on her. "The price has already been settled. Do you trust me, Harry?"

"I… Luna?" he couldn't keep up with her thought process, as usual. When Luna repeated her question, with more urgency, both of them knowing that time was of the essence, he responded. "Of course I trust you Luna, but what—"

Her hands shot forwards, a vice-grip around his own despite her petite frame. She managed to drag him closer to her, by the Veil. "Luna?!"

"This is the only thing I can do for you now," she said, ignoring Harry's alarmed questioning. "Harry, I'm sorry." Then, jerking him so that their eyes met, Harry once again unnerved by her focused gaze. "You trust me, right? Then trust that I know what I'm doing. The Veil is a gateway between dimensions. Be it with the dead, or with another world altogether."

Seeing Harry want to argue, Luna shook him again, "listen to me. The price has been paid." Then, a smile that was painfully like her usual dream-like beam, but touched with sadness in her eyes. "You can be free, Harry. _Truly_."

Then, pushing him hard into the gateway, Harry yelled out, "no!" grabbing a firm hold of her hand. He didn't understand anything she was saying. Gateway? Being free? Was she saying he was better off dead? Not that he hadn't entertained such morbid thought before, but he would never just leave his friends behind out of selfishness.

A gentle hand on his own desperate hold had him glancing up. "Live for yourself, Harry. Live for us, too." As she pried his fingers off and he was pulled in by an unknown force, his last view was of Luna smiling at him, tears in her eyes.

"Luna!" He kicked and writhed, trying to somehow claw his way back to her. Darkness was fast enveloping him, but when he blinked, it looked like a tunnel of rainbow light surrounding him. The momentum, and force soon pulled at his consciousness and he faded.

* * *

"I have fulfilled my part. Now it is time for you to honour yours," Luna spoke to the image of a dark-haired woman that appeared before her.

"Indeed you have," the woman's velvety voice spoke. "Very well. I shall satisfy my end of the bargain. I must say I'm surprised you managed to learn about the existence of other worlds."

"You already know that Hermione was the one that helped me research this from the moment the rumours began, Witch."

The woman smiled acquiescingly. "Then, for the wish of sending Harry James Potter to a world of your choice, as well as a safe recovery. For payment—"

The doors slammed open as a team of Aurors poured in, spotting Luna and barking orders, not noticing any other presence. Ignoring the interruption, Luna kept her gaze firmly on the Witch before her.

"I shall take your gift of Sight, for Harry's protection. And for the passage to Earthland, both you and Hermione Jean Granger's memories of Harry James Potter."

As a white light shone brightly and encased the entire room, tears spilled down Luna's cheeks. _Please let Harry find happiness in the next world_.

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 **Just FYI, this chapter is the only time there'll be elements of CLAMP/Tsubasa. I've always wanted to mention the Dimensional Witch in a crossover story, since it makes everything so easy hahaha so here she is.**

 **Also, similar to my recent Gaijin Guardians series, this will also be short, simple chapters. I have the vague story outlined already but I don't plan for it to be very intricate or 'deep'. So yeah don't go questioning if there's hidden messages in my story or anything, because there isnt any. hahaha.**

 **I often get a few reviewers saying I should do this or that etc in my story and be assured I read them and consider them, and yeah sometimes I might add some elements in, but usually if its some crazy plotline and for a story like this, don't get your hopes up to high hahaha. I'd advise you to just write your own story if you really want something to happen. If you need to use the same base story as mine for it to work, just let me know first and of course, credit (:**


	2. Chapter 2

**Meant to post this yesterday but I got sidetracked by watching Haikyuu... whoops :P**

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Expecting to be hurled merlin-knows-where just like any other wizarding method of travel, Harry hazily registered feeling light as a feather, gently put down as if transported by a protective bubble. With a _pop_ sound, the blurry surroundings abruptly came into focus to find himself in… a forest?

Getting his feet under himself, his attention snapped back to the present at the sound of a rustling nearby. Not having an bloody idea what the hell had just happened, but having his previous escape in mind, Harry quickly shifted back into his animagus form and took off.

It seemed that luck was not on his side this time – or was it? – because as he thought he neared what must've been the edge of the forest, it was instead a clearing, leading to a small cottage. Coming to a halt, Harry heard voices exclaiming not far off.

Deciding to split before anyone else arrived, Harry ran past the cottage, away from the voices. Pushing his body to go faster, a sharp pain erupted from his side, searing up his nerves and stunning him enough to cause him to crash into the ground. He couldn't stop the yowl of pain that escaped his mouth.

He attempted to pick himself back up, but ripples of pain kept him from managing much. His wound must've been aggravated too much. Mentally cursing, Harry noted that his vision was also starting to get hazy – probably from blood loss.

Just then, a figure stepped into the clearing. He only managed to make out the shape and he could only tense in a wary pose from his flat position, hissing and growling menacingly. He tried to hold on, as the figure only stopped momentarily, before seeming to come towards him, but both his wounds and his severe blood loss stole his consciousness from him; with only one last comforting thought – the figure didn't look like any Ministry person.

* * *

Grumbling about hot-headed idiots and equally hot-blooded people, the formidable man stepped through the clearing to his current residence, after managing to evade a brawl earlier – for now, at least. The man, imposing even in his casual attire, was currently an outcast living in the forest by Fairy Tail's new – downgraded – guild headquarters; Laxus Dreyar.

He sighed and shook his head, deciding to worry about the challenge from Natsu and Gajeel another time, he stopped in his tracks at the hostile sound coming from the direction of his home. Looking up, he saw a black… panther? _Well, there's something you don't expect to see_ , he thought. He'd never seen any big cats around this forest before.

The panther in question looked ready to fight, if its behavior was any indication, but oddly enough it kept itself on the ground. Why?

Not intimidated in the least, Laxus strode closer to the big cat, slowly. As he got nearer, he realized that the panther was wounded; judging by the blood tracks around it. Said panther's growls were weakening already, and he looked it in the eyes just in time to see them dull and roll back as the panther slumped into the ground – apparently having lost consciousness.

Laxus stood there, not knowing what the hell just happened. Why was there a panther? How did it get wounded? How the hell did it end up by his place? The only thing that did stick with him though, were the unusual green eyes of the cat. They were an eerily haunting green that couldn't have been natural for any animal.

Clicking his tongue, Laxus decided to see if the panther was going to make it. He traced the blood to two major wounds – one by its side and another by its right foreleg. They looked like they were caused by something sharp slicing through it. Too clean for any animal to have caused.

Brushing his hands over the surprisingly soft fur, Laxus could feel several shallow wounds all over the panther too. Settling back on the balls of his feet, Laxus determined that the panther would likely be able to survive, but there might be a chance that a stray predator – or whatever the hell had injured the animal in the first place – might come by and finish it off while it was unconscious.

Absentmindedly stroking the fur by its cheek and ears, Laxus spotted an odd scar. He shifted the panther's head and his eyes widened at the odd sight of a lightning-shaped scare etched faintly on the cat's forehead. _What the hell?_ There was no way that was natural. Along with the wounds… could the panther have been some sort of pet to a sadistic weirdo?

He would never be sure what made him do it, but Laxus found himself hefting up the injured animal carefully into his arms and managing to bring it into his small cottage. Inside, he set it on a pile of furs by the fireplace. As he was arranging the big cat into a position that could least aggravate his wounds, Laxus thought he heard the cat groan something like, "Luna…."

Pulling back sharply, _Exceed?_ Laxus thought in surprise. Looking at the panther again, it wasn't impossible… He could somewhat resemble Lily. Given that Lily had both a small cat form and odd humanoid-cat form, maybe there were Exceeds that actually resembled other cats? Or a different type of form change?

Frowning, Laxus thought to himself; _well it's not like I can just up and ask Lily or Gajeel myself. I'm not exactly one of_ _them_ _anymore, after all._ He sighed heavily and decided first things first; patching up those big wounds.

As he worked silently, a thought came to him; _maybe he ended up near my place because he's meant to be_ _my_ _Exceed partner_. Scoffing at the thought, he smirked at the thought that he was resembling Gajeel at the time when he had gone stir crazy wondering why he didn't have a 'cat' like Natsu and Wendy.

That didn't stop his thoughts from wandering though. _Well he even has a lightning-bolt scar too. If that's not one hell of a coincidental 'sign' I don't know what is._ Shaking his heads to clear his mind from such thoughts, _wow, maybe the quietness and being away from everyone is starting to get to me. Am I getting lonely or something?_ That elicited a disbelieving chuckle from Laxus.

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 **As always, let me know what you think! (: Have a great weekend guys~**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm done with my exams! Woooo**

 **Here's a chapter to celebrate :P**

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Blinking awake, Laxus opened his eyes to sunlight beginning to stream through the gaps in his curtains. Yawning and pushing himself upright, he stretched languidly before his attention shifted to a bundle on the floor. His gaze initially sweeping over it as was becoming a habit from the previous day, but he quickly did a double take when the sight was completely different.

What was meant to be an injured panther lying by his fireplace was undoubtedly a _person_. Leaping up warily, he approached the prone figure. It was a male, probably mid-twenties. He looked somewhat worn and his clothes were indeed rumpled and blood-speckled. Spotting large blood stains by the man's left side and right arm, Laxus' eyes widened.

 _This is no Exceed… they shouldn't be able to attain a fully human-form like this._ Glancing up at the now-human face, he saw the other man's face drawn in slight pain as he slept – likely due to his injuries. Laxus curiously bent down and lifted the hem of the stranger's shirt up to see that his imperfect but capable stitches were _right there_. There went any possibility of it being an imposter.

Laxus sat there, staring at the mystery in his house. _Maybe some sort of take-over style magic?_ It was possible, given the unlimited possibilities of magic uses in Earthland. That still left the question of whether the man would be dangerous or not.

"Whatever," Laxus ended up sighing, standing up and brushing off his pants. He needed to get some food before he thought about this any longer. Glancing at the unknown man, he probably wasn't going to wake up anytime soon while he was away, at least.

* * *

While Laxus was out buying some food, he was effectively sidetracked by the damn _festival_ Magnolia had set up overnight in preparation for his duel against Natsu and Gajeel.

Meanwhile, the man left in his home began to stir. Wounds having been steadily knitting themselves up the entire time, Harry slowly came back to consciousness. His body having recovered both physically and magically, he unwittingly transformed back into his animagus form as he awoke.

His groggy hum came out instead as a low purr, before those eyes opened. Seeing the evidence of furniture around him, he immediately shifted onto his belly cautiously. As his head turned this way and that, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, Harry relaxed minutely at the realization that he was alone.

"Where…" the word slipped from his mouth. One thing he had been proud of was managing to speak in his animagus form. It took some extra careful magic and transfiguration to do so, but it had almost become second nature by now.

His attention was snapped back into focus and Harry almost jumped in surprise at the sound of a lock being turned. His head whipped towards the direction of the noise and he leapt up onto his legs; pleasantly surprised to find them much steadier than he expected.

The door swung open and in strode a figure that didn't notice him until the door was closed again. Harry vaguely registered that this man looked like the blurry figure he remembered seeing before passing out earlier. He shifted on his legs, unsure of what to do.

Laxus, having manage to extract himself from the festivities to get home with his food, turned to see that his 'guest' was now awake. And a panther again. He raised a brow, but seeing as the animal – man? – made no move yet, he unhurriedly made his way to the kitchen and stowed away the food. He felt the animal's sharp gaze on him the entire time.

Finally, taking a sandwhich for himself and filling up a spare bowl with water, he made his way back towards the big cat. He kept his appearance relaxed as he placed the bowl on the ground and sat on a chair nearby.

"Go on then. It's just water," he said gruffly after the two were involved in a silent staring match for awhile. The panther's eyes darted once to the bowl and then, watching him carefully, slowly lowering itself down, took a few cautious laps at the water. "Hungry?"

Harry watched the stranger warily. He wasn't sure what the man was thinking – letting a big cat like himself in his home so casually. At the man's question, he unthinkingly cocked his head in question.

Laxus watched the panther's head tilt at his question and wondered why the man thought he had to hide in this form. Deciding to see if he could trick him, Laxus nonchalantly spoke up again. "So you're an Exceed, huh? You must've come with the others from Edolas then. Why are you alone?"

 _Exceed? Edolas?_ The unfamiliar words whirled around in Harry's head as he stayed silent. As the silence stretched between them, Harry considered just making a dash for it before the stranger sighed and spoke again.

"Don't tell me you haven't learnt to speak yet or something? Or do you only know a few words?" Laxus watched the panther's reaction from the corner of his eye. "You said some things when you were unconscious so I thought maybe you'd been separated from your friends or something."

Eyes widening, Harry's breath hitched at the thought that he had spoken while out cold _in his animagus form_. But the man spoke as if this was… normal? Speaking animals? _This might be a chance for me to figure out where the hell Luna sent me_.

"Edolas?" he repeated unsurely. The man in front of him nodded.

"You don't know about Edolas?" Thinking that this confirmed his suspicions that the big cat wasn't an Exceed, he decided to play along with this façade. "Then again, it's been at least 7 years since the portal between the worlds sent all the Exceeds here… Maybe you're a generation of Exceed born here."

Laxus saw that the panther-man looked surprised to hear about Edolas. "Hmm… maybe Mystogan didn't manage to patch up all the Anima when he was travelling around Earthland."

It hadn't occurred to him as a possibility until the man mentioned it happening here, but Harry could not seriously believe he had actually been sent to a different _world_ by Luna. Earth _land_? Also, this man spoke of portals between worlds like it was nothing. What crazy situation did Harry manage to find himself in this time?

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 **Not sure when the next update will be... I'm gonna be travelling heaps from now till about 21st, then again after the first week of December.**

 **For now, hope you enjoyed and let me know what you think in a review! (:**


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